WHEN NEWS BREAKS

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CNN anchor Carol Lin is at the height of her career after becoming the first network journalist to break the news of the 9/11 attacks.

A month later, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a Taliban sniper along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, a stark reminder of the sacrifices she made to succeed in a white-centric, male-dominated journalism career. For Lin, breaking news and the defining split second when lives change is a drug—and a love that her traditional Chinese mother warned would never love her back.

But when devastating news breaks apart her own life, Lin is forced to question a career that demands everything, a marriage marked by infidelity and cancer, and the sacrifices required to become the mother her daughter needs her to be. Told with fierce wit and candor, When News Breaks is the story of a woman who has been places and seen things but still has to discover who she really is behind the headlines.

  • “Unflinching, honest, and deeply relatable. I recognized bits of myself in every page. It’s a story that stays with you.”

    Carol Costello, Journalist, Lecturer, Loyola Marymount University 

  • “Carol Lin's authentic account rang true at every beat of her story. I felt as if a good friend were giving me a ring side seat to major events in history and her own life.”

    Malia Mattoch McManus, Author of Dragonfruit

  • “A stunning journey into the wilderness of first-class journalism and the unforgiving fields of heartbreak.”

    Jennifer Thym, Film Director, Producer, studio SKYFIRE

  • “This book is heartfelt, insightful, and unforgettable—pulling back the curtain on journalism, exploring identity and culture, and weaving a love story that made me laugh, cry, and reflect.”

    Helen Chavez Garcia, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Management, USC Bovard College

  • “I read about a rather remarkable woman. Carol made history on television screens on September 11, 2001, but what I found equally interesting was what happened offscreen, and how relatable Carol’s story is to all women navigating the constant push-pull of our professional and personal lives. I couldn’t put it down.”

    Rachel Burchfield, Journalist, Contributor to Vogue, Elle, Harpers Bazaar, Forbes.

  • “Her story of determination, resilience, and honesty in succeeding in a male-dominated industry resonated with me…Carol bares her soul, sharing her raw, personal, often brutal challenges of love and loss. This book is not only riveting—it’s inspiring. And I hope to see the movie version!”

    Brenda Sexton, Former Managing Director, Illinois Film Office

  • “When News Breaks is a powerful memoir about adversity, dreams, and living out your purpose. Lin's reflections on her professional and personal life show us the both/and that is so relatable when news breaks in our own lives.”

    Connie Richardson, Author of Rapid City Summer

  • “Carol Lin’s book is the greatest indulgence I’ve enjoyed in years. Her story explores the depths of heartbreak and disappointment, offset by the power of love and its resultant healing forces that led her back from the abyss of unimaginable trauma.”

    Diane M. Simard, Author of The Unlikely Gift of Breast Cancer and Psycho-oncology Advocate

 

ABOUT CAROL

Carol Lin is best known for being the first national anchor to report the first 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Carol was a long-time anchor and correspondent for CNN and ABC News. During her career, she covered the war in the Middle East, the aftermath of the Kosovo War, the 2002 Winter Olympics, and every imaginable natural disaster from hurricanes, tornadoes, historic wildfires, and floods. Carol Lin received an Emmy, a Peabody, the Alfred I. Dupont Award, and Greater Los Angeles Press Club Awards for Excellence in both Investigative Reporting and her coverage of the Los Angeles Riots. She lives in Hawai’i and can be found writing, paddleboarding, and teaching her Cavapoo tricks.

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